ABSTRACT
The computer code DMC (Distinct Motion Code) has been developed for modeling rock motion associated with rock blasting. Confined volume blasting is usually difficult to control and predict because the material is expanding into a limited void space. An example of confined volume blasting is underground oil shale retort blasting. The example rock motion problem treated in this chapter is the movement and subsequent bulking of material associated with the blasting of Retorts 7 and 8 by Occidental Oil Shale, Incorporated (OOSI). The rock motion associated with confined volume blasting has been especially difficult to predict and control because of the limited void space. The porosity map predicted by DMC shows a tight region in the bottom central portion of the retort along with regions of higher porosity around the edges. In the future DMC should become a powerful design tool that can be used to numerically test blast designs.
